Question 557: Before I was aware, I bought several musical instruments, and now I have realized that they are forbidden. Can I sell them and use the money to buy religious books and so on?
Answer
✅Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:
1 عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ الشَّامِيِّ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ فَقَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعَثَنِي رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ وَ لِأَمْحَقَ الْمَعَازِفَ وَ الْمَزَامِيرَ وَ أُمُورَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَ الْأَوْثَانَ
📚 Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 396
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about wine; he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: Allah sent me as a mercy to the worlds and to efface, nullify, and destroy al-ma'azif (all kinds of stringed musical instruments like the tar, tanbur, and daf) and al-mazamir (all kinds of wind musical instruments like the ney, flute, and trumpet) and the matters of ignorance and idols...
2 عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شَمُّونٍ عَنِ الْأَصَمِّ عَنْ مِسْمَعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ... رُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ كَسَرَ بَرْبَطاً فَأَبْطَلَهُ.
📚 Al-Tahdhib, vol. 10, p. 309
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: A man was brought to Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) who had broken a barbat (a type of musical instrument). The Imam nullified it (and did not hold the breaker of the barbat liable)!
3 عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيه عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ قَالَ: بَائِعُ الْخَبِيثَاتِ وَ مُشْتَرِيهَا فِي الْإِثْمِ سَوَاءٌ
📚 Al-Ja'fariyat, p. 172
Ali (peace be upon him) said: The seller of forbidden and evil things and its buyer are equal in sin!
4 عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي حَدِيثٍ.... إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ الصِّنَاعَةَ الَّتِي هِيَ حَرَامٌ كُلُّهَا الَّتِي يَجِي ءُ مِنْهَا الْفَسَادُ مَحْضاً نَظِيرَ الْبَرَابِطِ وَ الْمَزَامِيرِ وَ الشِّطْرَنْجِ وَ كُلِّ مَلْهُوٍّ بِهِ وَ الصُّلْبَانِ وَ الْأَصْنَامِ
In a hadith, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah has forbidden a profession that is all forbidden, those from which pure and unadulterated corruption comes, such as barbats (a type of musical instrument) and mazamir (i.e., wind musical instruments like the ney, flute, and trumpet...) and chess and whatever is a means of diversion and crosses and idols....
...حَرَامٌ مُحَرَّمٌ بَيْعُهُ وَ شِرَاؤُهُ وَ إِمْسَاكُهُ وَ مِلْكُهُ وَ هِبَتُهُ وَ عَارِيَّتُهُ وَ جَمِيعُ التَّقَلُّبِ فِيهِ...
In another part of this narration, buying, selling, keeping, owning, gifting, lending, and all other uses of these objects are declared forbidden...
📚 Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, vol. 12, p. 56
✅ Various narrative evidences indicate that buying and selling instruments of diversion and music is forbidden, and such objects, according to the first narration and others, are worthy of destruction. Those whom Allah has favored and made them aware of the prohibition of musical instruments, in completing their repentance, should not hesitate or delay in destroying the objects that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was sent to efface and destroy, and they should avoid selling these evil objects. If Allah wills.
اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ